Category: Jacobean/Stuart Era (1603-1714)

The Stuart Era is 1603-1714 and The Jacobean era refers to the period in English and Scottish history that coincides with the reign of James VI of Scotland, who also inherited the crown of England in 1603 as James I.
Preceded by: Elizabethan era
Followed by: Caroline era
Monarch: James VI and I

The Highland Chieftain by Amy Jarecki

On By TracyIn Jacobean/Stuart Era (1603-1714), Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's Reviews1 Comment

The Highland Chieftain (Lords of the Highlands)The Highland Chieftain by Amy Jarecki
Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: The Highland Lords, #4

Release Date: July 31, 2018

I enjoyed this addition to the Lords of the Highlands series. When we last saw Lady Mairi MacKenzie, she was reeling from being jilted by Reid MacKenzie, the Earl of Seaforth. They had been betrothed as children and Mairi grew up believing she would be his countess, but instead, he breaks their betrothal and marries Audrey, his ward. Mairi isn’t exactly heartbroken, but she is feeling sorry for herself and turns down a proposal by Duncan “Dunn” MacRae, believing the highland laird, a man who swears fealty to Seaforth is only proposing out of pity.

Dunn has long desired Mairi, but as Seaforth’s betrothed, she was off limits. When he proposes and is rejected, he knows he should just move on and forget about her, but the heart wants what the heart wants and forgetting her is just not possible. When Mairi is in danger, Dunn risks his life to save her, he kills three English dragoons that were intent on raping her and rides away with her when more soldiers show up. He had planned on returning her to her home immediately, but her father convinced he abducted her, has placed a bounty on his head and he cannot safely return her.

They hole up in his favorite spot, the Cavern of the Fairies and Dunn does his best to keep his desire in check. They spend time talking and Dunn offers to teach her how to defend herself. All is going well until Mairi gets ill and Dunn is forced to leave their sanctuary to get her to a healer. He takes her to his home Eilean Donan Castle and nurses her back to health.

Mairi has always been attracted to Dunn, but she never acted on it, first she was betrothed and later didn’t want to be pitied by him, but now she has come to realize there is much more to Dunn than she believed and she would like nothing more than to explore the feelings he has invoked. Before they become lovers, Dunn again proposes and she accepts, she is aware her father has other plans for her, but she is sure she can convince him to accept Dunn.

They enjoy their time together, but they long to get her father’s blessing and when pleas to Seaforth to intervene come to nothing, they decide to confront her father. But things take a terrible turn and Dunn is imprisoned. Mairi is devastated, she loves Dunn with all her heart and is forced to go to London with her father to save his life.

It seems all is lost for our lovers, but Dunn is not willing to lose Mairi again, he is relentless in his quest to marry her and more than once, his life is put in jeopardy. But when all seems lost, help comes from unexpected sources and Mairi will have to decide if her love for Dunn is enough to give up her family.

This was a fast paced, very emotionally driven story with a sigh worthy hero who loves Mairi with steadfast devotion rarely portrayed in romances these days. The story has action, steamy love scenes, a really vile villain, heartbreak, cameos from Reid and Audrey and a truly beautiful soulmate type love. The only thing that really bothered me was that the villain really didn’t suffer any repercussions for his treatment of Dunn and Mairi. But that aside, it was a good read and had a completely different feel from the previous books in the series. This is the fourth book in the Lords of the Highlands, but I think it could be read as a stand alone with no problems, however, if you want to go into this book with a better understanding of the relationships between Dunn, Mairi and Seaforth, I would highly recommend at least reading Highland Guardian first.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*

Highland Temptation by Lori Ann Bailey

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Jacobean/Stuart Era (1603-1714), Scottish/Highlander1 Comment

Highland Temptation (Highland Pride #3)Highland Temptation by Lori Ann Bailey

Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Highland Pride #3
Publication Date: 6/25/18

I was looking forward to a really good read when I started this book – well – it was MORE! It was a wonderful read. The characters were compelling, the story was interesting and action-packed – and – well – there were Highlanders. I believe this is only the third book by this author, but you’d never know it. I’ve read some seasoned authors with many, many books under their belt whose stories don’t flow as seamlessly as these do. You feel as if you are right there in the midst of the turmoil between the Royalists and the Covenanters. The suspense is thick in the air and danger is everywhere. You can feel it, smell it and taste it.

Kirstie Cameron has lived away from her beloved home, Kentillie, for three years now. Not because she wanted to, but because she couldn’t live with the pain of staying. Three years ago, at age seventeen, she finally found the courage to tell the man she loved with all of her heart that she loved him. She hoped he returned her love because she wanted a future with him. She loved him – she’d always loved him and she always would. Then, he ripped out her heart and stepped on it. He told her that they could never be because he saw her as a sister. A SISTER! So, Kirstie has spent the last three years living with her best friend, Blair MacNab at the MacNab stronghold.

Alan MacKenzie has never considered himself a MacKenzie because that clan shunned his family, became Covenanters, and abandoned his mother to be murdered by his father. No, he was a Cameron in heart and soul. The Cameron’s had taken him in when his mother was murdered and his father fled when Alan was only eleven. The Cameron’s loved him, nurtured him and treated him as one of their own. He’d never shame or betray them. So, what was he to do when the love of his life, the woman he wasn’t good enough for, declared her love for him? He couldn’t tell her that he loved her in return because he might have his father’s madness. So, he told her that she was like a sister to him and that was all it would ever be. Then, she went away to live somewhere else and he never knew why. [*smiles* Well, maybe he wasn’t the sharpest tack in the pack]

This is the third book in the series, so we know all about the plots of the Covenanters against the Royalists. This plot is a diabolical one – get rid of all of the existing Royalist lairds and convert their clans by force, marriage or whatever other means they had. The Camerons are aware of the plot to kill them and the other Lairds at an upcoming meeting of the clans, so they have come up with a plan to foil the plot and get rid of the Covenanters – or as many of them as they can. They’ll have Alan reclaim his MacKenzie name and pretend to have broken with the Camerons by converting to Presbyterian. He’ll infiltrate the Covenanters and relay all of the plans to the Camerons.

Kirstie has also gotten wind of the plot to murder her brothers and she plans to uncover the plot and stop it. So, she attends the Clan meeting with the MacNabs and begins her flirtation with all of the Covenanters, hoping to learn their secrets.

Imagine the shock when Alan and Kirstie see each other – and Alan is a Covenanter. Kirstie can’t believe that – there is something off about that but she doesn’t have time to worry about that. She’s busy trying to uncover the plot, search bedrooms at the castle and fight off the amorous advances of all of the Covenanter men.

It is exciting to see Kirstie and Alan dancing around each other – trying to fight their attraction and still work, separately, of course, to foil the plot. Alan finds it hard to concentrate on what he has to do because he’s always protecting Kirstie from some mishap or another.

One thing I did question though – at one point, Kirstie is in a bit of a bother. She needs to escape the bonds on her arms – tied above her elbows I think. She has to wriggle around and do some contortions in order to get to her dagger strapped to her thigh. A resourceful girl, right? Well – there was a very long, sharp sword laying on the floor near where she stood. She could have used that much easier than trying to get to the dagger and then get it positioned to cut the twine. Just a thought.

The only bad thing about the book is that it ended and now I have to wait for the next one! I wonder who will be next. Maybe Finlay and Blair will get their own book – maybe it will be Kirstie’s brother Malcolm. I can hardly wait to find out! I hope you’ll read and enjoy this wonderful book as much as I did!

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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”